Filter for use on motor vehicles



Feb. 17', 1931. 5, WOLFSQN 7 1,792,791

FILTER FOR USE ON MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. l'7 1930 INVENTOR SzUn ey L. 01111022,

have Patented Feb. 17, 1931' [UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE srbNEY L. WOLFSON, or MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR m0 m1: c'ouo Enumerame CORPORATION,

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OF MERIDEN', CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECT- FILTER FOR USE ON MOTOR VEHICLES Application filed February 17, 1980. Serial No. 429,617.-

. My invention relates particularly to filters for oil, gasolene or other fluids to be used on motor vehicles such as boats, cars or elevators. When in use filters ofcourse become clogged 5 with the sediment or filtrate and they cease to operate if not cleaned.

The main object of my invention is to provide simple. but reliable means for automatically cleaning the filter from time to time. I

, 10 have solved. this problem'in an extremely simple manner by making use of the force. of inertia on moving vehicles. The inventlon is especially applicable to filters or strainers of the type of the 011110 Patent-1,657,346. In

such constructions there isa filtering member and a cleaning member one of which is movable with respect to the other. For 1nstance, the cleaner members may extend be tween the edges of a. series of filter plates as in the Cuno patent. By rotating the filter plates from time to time the material which collects between the edges is scraped out or cleaned by the action of the stationary cleaner members. I accordingly provide an inertia 'mass so arranged and. connected as to occasionally rotate the filter plates and thus cause the cleaning action. On a motor vehicle the inertia mass ma be made movable back and forth longitudi- 30 nally so that it will operatewhen thecar is started or stopped suddenly or the mass may be mounted to vibrate vertically when the car strikes a sudden obstruction in the roadway. For use on a boat the inertia mass may be mounted to movefore and aft with the starting or stopping of the boat or athwart ships I moved with the rolling of the-boat. Fig. 1 is a side view of one form of mechanism embodying my invention. p

Fig. 2 is a front view showing the top of form of a weighted lever.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. i

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of construction.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the'structure of Fig. 4.

,The casing 7 contains the filtering plates 8 and the cleaning members 9' andwillusually the filter casing and the inertia mass in the an outlet plug 10 at the bottom. The.

fluid to be filtered or strained enters and passes inwardly through the filter plates so as to leave the solid matter on the outside edges of the filter plates. The filter plates are rotated by the shaft 11 as is customary.

The actuatmg mechanism is preferably supported on the top of the casing-so that the entire mechanism is self-contained and therefore convenient for transportation, sale, installation, inspection and repair. For instance, a bracket 12'may be secured by bolts 13 directly to the top. of the casin This bracket supports a drive shaft 14 w ich has a bevelled gear 15 meshing with the bevelled gear 16 on the upper endof the filter shaft. 'An'arm 17 is pivoted on the shaft 14 and.

provided with a weight 18 which is preferably slidable along one arm of the lever 17 and adapted'to be secured in place by a set screw constitute the inertia mass. The effective movement of this mass can be readily changed spring grips the shaft 14 just tight enou h so that when the weight 18 moves down t e spring gras s the shaft and rotates it counter clockwise 2 1s viewed in Fig. 2 and when the weight 18 movesupwardly t released and the shaft 14 is not rotated. This therefore acts as a one-way friction clutch to intermittently rotate the shaft 14- and the filter shaft 11 as the weight 18 oscillates up and down. This oscillation will occur when the bump or jolt given the car is suflicient to overcome the frictional resistance of the various connected parts.

I preferably provide a spring 21 which tends to lift the weight 18 and holds the inertia mass yieldingly in a substantially horizontal position.

It should be understood of course that the moving parts may be protected in any suitable manner and that the parts ofthe casing 7 may be separable for the purpose of inspecting, cleanin and repairing the filter and cleaner mem ers.

e spring is leaves the casing in any suitable manner and v. 19. This arm or lever 17 and the weight 18 v 1, 2 and 3 is mounted with the filter axis 7 horizontally that the weight 18 will act like a pendulum and the spring 21 might be omitted. In this case the filter would be mounted with the axis of the drive shaft 14. transverse to the movement of the vehicle so that the pendulum could swing back and forth with the sudden starting and stopping of the vehicle.

In the form shown in Fig. 4 the filter plates 8' are mounted on a shaft and the cleaners 9 are mounted in a reservoir 7 so that the liquid to be filtered passes through the filter lates and is sucked out through the outlet 22 1n any suitable manner. The drive shaft 14' is connected by gears to the filter shaft 11' and has the spring clutch one end of which is connected. to the pendulum 18.

Such a construction may be mounted in a boat in which case the axis 11' would extend athwart the boat so that the pendulum could swing from side to side as the boat rolls. It

' should be understood that this pendulum action may be damped either by frictional means or by means of springs if desired to 1 some of the advantages might be obtained nism as applied to a prevent undue'rapidity or. violence of action. Although I have shown the inertia mechafilter of the type of the (Juno patent it should be understood that with other filters.

Although for convenience it is generally referable to support the inertia mass directon the filter casing it should be understood that it might be supported for instance on the engine casing or the/frame of the vehicle so as to permit the desired inertia action for operating the clutc It will be understood that other changes 1 i details ofconstruction and arrangement may be made within the spirit of my invention. g A I claim:

1. An automatic filter for use on a vehicle comprising a filter casing containing a filtering member and a cleaning member, one of said members being movable with respect to the other member for the purpose of cleaning the filtering member, an inertia mass supported by the filter casing and a friction clutch connecting the. mass and the movable member at intervals to produce the cleaning action by the oscillation of the inertia mass. 2. In a filter for use on a motor vehicle a movable filter member, a stationary member coacting with the filter member for cleaning the filter member, actuating mechanism for thefilter 'fnember comprising a rotatableshaft, a clutch therefor-anda hinged inertia mass for moving said clutch and turning said shaft in one direction only.

3. In a filter for use on'a motor vehicle, a ported thereby, a racket, a member gear \ able,

connected to said shaft and movable for cleaning the filter, a spring pressed inertia mass outside said casing and a one-way clutch connecting the inertia mass and the shaft to actuate said shaft in one direction only.

4. A filt'er construction comprising a filter member, a cleaning member, one of said members being movable with respect to the other, for cleaning the filter member, a casing enclosing the two members, and inertia mass, movable outside the casing means of connection between said mass and the movable member for moving the movable member at least once when the inertia mass moves in one direction and means for adjusting the period of oscillation of said inertia mass.

5. A filter for use on motor vehicles comprising a filtering member, a cleaning member, one of said members being rotatable with respect to the other, a swinging inertia mass having a clutch and gear connection to the rotatable member for causing said mass to operate said rotatable member inonly one direction and means for retarding the movement of the inertia mass in one direction.

,6. A fluid filter comprising rotatable filter plates, stationary cleaners coacting therewith, an oscillating inertia mass, clutch and means connecting said mass and said filterplates for rotating said filter plates in one direction only and a spring coacting with said mass.

7 A filter comprising an oscillatable inertia mass, a spring connected thereto, a

filter member, a cleaner member coacting therewith, one of said members bein rotatand a spring clutch connection etween said mass and said rotatable member for rotating said rotatable member in one direction Y- K 8. A fluid filter comprising rotatable'filter plates, stationary cleaners coacting therewith, an oscillating inertia mass, means for varying the effective force of the inertia mass, clutch and gear means connecting said mass and said filter plates for rotating said plates 7 in one direction only and a spring coacting with said mass.

9. A filter comprising an oscillatable inertia mass, a spring connected thereto, means varying the efiective force of the inertia mass, a filter member, a cleaner member coacting therewith, one of said members being rotatable, and a spring clutch connection between said mass and said rotatable member for rotating the rotatable member in one direction only.

automatic filter comprising a filter member, a cleaner member, one of said members being rotatable, a pivoted and weighted arm, a clutch connecting said arm and movable member for rotating the movable member in one direction only, and means for varying the moment of inertia of said arm.

11. An automatic filter comprising a casing, a rotatable filter member mounted in the casing, a stationary cleaner member coacting with the filter member to clean the filter member when the filter member is rotated, a swinging arm supported by the casing and a clutch and gear connection between said ing mass and the movable member.

SIDNEY L. WOLFSON. 

